Filming for the upcoming season of MasterChef Australia has officially begun in Melbourne.
The cooking show’s new judges, Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli, joined returning judge Andy Allen on the set of the new series on Wednesday.
The new team of judges seemed to get along well as they were seen filming a challenge with guest chef Jamie Oliver.
Celebrity chef Jamie looked stylish in a tan shirt and pants as he walked alongside Sofia, who wore a bright yellow top and cardigan combo.
Poh, who previously starred in the series, also looked chic in a long gray dress with a matching belt and a pair of shiny gold sneakers.
New Masterchef judges Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli joined Andy Allen on the set of the cooking show as filming began in Melbourne on Wednesday
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver (pictured centre) looked warm in earth tones, wearing a tan shirt and trousers, while Sofia Levin stood out in canary yellow
She tied her long locks into a ponytail and wore statement earrings.
Jean-Christophe Novelli wore similar colors, rocking a gray blazer and blue pants.
Meanwhile, Andy Allen arrived on set wearing black pants and a shirt, contrasted with a white jacket and shoes.
The judges laughed and joked with each other as they prepared for filming.
Following the death of Jock Zonfrillo and the exit of Melissa Leong, the new series featured three new judges alongside returning presenter Andy.
New judge Poh ling Yeow (pictured right) floated around the set in a chic yet sculptural gray dress
Jean-Christophe Novelli (pictured second from right) almost matched Poh’s color choice with a gray blazer and blue pants
Meanwhile, Andy Allen wore black trousers and a black shirt, contrasted with a white jacket and shoes as he joked with Poh
Leong, who appeared as a judge on the reality hit for four years, said she had decided to leave the show “on her own terms”.
She now remains part of the 10 family and presents Dessert Masters, a spin-off series from MasterChef, alongside Swiss-French pastry prodigy Amaury Guichon.
Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren Fried previously shared on Instagram that her late husband was “very happy” with the new cast of MasterChef Australia.
Her remark sparked speculation that Jock, who died of natural causes on April 30 aged 46, was not getting along with Leong behind the scenes.
Food critic Sofia Levin arrived in a canary yellow top and cardigan combo
The foodies laughed and joked with each other as they prepared for filming
In a lengthy post, Fried raved about Allen’s return to the franchise and congratulated Ling Yeow and Novelli on their new roles, but – somewhat tellingly – made no mention of Leong’s departure or her four years on the series.
Also causing a stir was Leong’s failure to attend The Sunday Project’s moving tribute to Zonfrillo a week after his death.
Allen and renowned chefs Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White and Curtis Stone shared their memories in the heartbreaking special.
Following the death of Jock Zonfrillo and the exit of Melissa Leong, the new series saw three new judges join returning host Andy
Not only did the show struggle with the sudden death of one of its judges, the surprise departure of Melissa Leong also rocked production
Leong, who appeared as a judge on the reality hit for four years, claims she left the show “on her own terms”.
“There was a very emotional tribute from Andy to The Project and it was surprising that Melissa wasn’t sitting next to him,” an insider previously told Chron Australia.
“You would have thought they would take on the media together.” Especially since the company said they were all best friends.
“It was quite strange that Melissa went into hiding during this time, and yet it was quite wise to uphold her decision to leave the program until now.”
She remains part of the 10 family and will present Dessert Masters, a spin-off series of MasterChef, alongside Swiss-French pastry prodigy Amaury Guichon
Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren Fried previously shared on Instagram that her late husband was “very happy” with the new cast of MasterChef Australia
A few months after The Project special, Leong explained that the grieving process was a quiet one for her after she was criticized for not attending a special tribute to her late co-star.
“We all deal with loss differently, and we have to respect that,” she wrote in a column for Stellar magazine.
“Some people need to speak to process emotions, while others need more time to find the words, if they can at all,” she continued.
“Some people need to be around people, while others need time alone to stare at a wall, clean non-stop, or sleep.”
Zonfrillo joined MasterChef as a guest chef for season 10 in 2018 and will become a full-time chef in 2020.
Leong recently spoke about rumors of a feud between her and fellow judges Andy Allen (left) and the late Jock Zonfrillo (right) during a candid chat with Chron Australia at The Birdcage at Flemington Racecourse.
Jock Zonfrillo died of natural causes on April 30 at the age of 46